So here we are again with another installment of my annual year-end mixtape. I've made lots of changes over the years regarding size, format, etc. but one thing that never changes (despite the fact that I hardly update this blog) is the amount of new music I come across within the span of 12 months and how much I grow to love it (some more than others). What's contained within the 3 discs I've compiled here is a wide array of stuff (still no rap, sorry) that has caught my attention and that I hope will catch yours. Go out and see these bands live, buy their records, whatever... just support music in whatever form you choose to do so. I hope you enjoy it and once again, thanks for checking it out.
[DISC ONE]
1) Vampire Weekend - "White Sky" [2:59]
From: "Contra" LP
Released: Jan 12th - XL Recordings
Sounds Like: 2008's ivy-league indie buzz band returned in 2010 with a record that I feel like most people found superior to their stellar debut. I wasn't as high on it as most but still found plenty of good within it, the highlight of which being "White Sky", which I felt continued on with their own brand of afro-pop inspired musicianship, catchy rhythm and sing-a-longable chorus' (in this case, a series of vocal sounds).
2) Surfer Blood - "Catholic Pagans" [3:13]
3) Beach House - "Zebra" [4:52]
From: "Teen Dream" 2xLP
Released: Jan 26th - Subpop
Sounds Like: I've been a fan of Beach House for an album now and even I didn't see this coming. Expanding their boundaries from the minimalism that dominated their earlier releases but still keeping true to the beauty in their established sound, mainly found in Victoria Legrand's beautifully haunting vocals. The lead off song from the best "pop" record of 2010 that was criminally overlooked by the mainstream.
4) Los Campesinos - "The Sea Is A Good Place To Think Of The Future" [4:27]
From: "Romance Is Boring" LP
Released: Jan 26th - Arts & Crafts
Sounds Like: not the latest Los Campesinos single, that's for sure but fans of this Welsh Septet's earlier work don't fret, it's still good... just not what one would expect. These guys really built their name on jangley, layered pop songs with big sing (shout) a-long choruses and cheeky lyrics (which is certainly how I grew to become a fan of theirs). I have to say I was a tad surprised when the returned with this song, a more subdued, depressing song about dealing with death and contemplating suicide. Still has the nice layered element, and great lyrics (albeit of a different variety) and should not be overlooked.
5) Blacklisted - "Stones Throw" [3:59]
From: "Eccentrichine" 7" EP
Released: Feb 9th - Six Feet Under
Sounds Like: I really don't know how Blacklisted are going to be remembered if they actually are "through" as a band (having made some vague insinuations that they are), but hopefully it's just as much for songs like these as it is for their hardest of the hardcore past. Originally a hardcore band from Philadelphia, over the course of the last 2 LPs and this fantastic (and again, overlooked) 7", Blacklisted grew to a point where they matched lead singer George Hirsch's deeply personal lyricism with music that haunted and creeped in a similar vein to a versatile, early 90s grunge act as opposed to being hit over the head with a sack of bricks, as they did on past releases.
6) Local Natives - "Airplanes" [4:oo]
From: "Gorilla Manor" LP
Released: Feb 16th - French Kiss
Sounds Like: A really fun pop song from this California 4 piece, featuring really nice melodies, a shiney, sunny jangle and a memorable, sing-songy chorus. These guys were fun live at Sasquatch and I found myself hard-pressed to write anything too deep or extensive over what they did there and why I like it but suffice to say, I do.
7) Fang Island - "Daisy" [3:19]
From: "Fang Island" LP
Released: Feb 23rd - Sargent House
Sounds Like: If you ask Fang Island to describe what they sound like, they'd tell you "everyone high-fiving everyone" (their quote, not mine). I find myself hard pressed to disagree as contained within this 3 minute math-rock jam is a tremendous amount of energy backed by some serious technical mastery. Lots of blips and blops, a steady beat and humongous reverb-enriched vocals. So much fun, if you don't smile while listening to this you probably need a new mouth.
8) Rocky Votolato - "Fragments" [2:58]
From: "True Devotion" LP
Released: Feb 23rd - Barsuk
Sounds Like: In the year that I finally found myself seeing Rocky Votolato live (in the most unreal of settings, more on that later), he released a record that didn't really resonate with me as much as some of his previous work, for the most part. "True Devotion" is filled with the same great singer-songwriter-esque songs that I've come to expect but none of them really clicked with me on a deeper level. His beautiful voice and solid guitar work is nice here nonetheless and I did find myself enjoying this song, and I don't want this to sound too negative because when it comes down to it, most "singer-songwriter" music is filed under the "boring" category as far as I'm concerned and Rocky Votolato is one of the few exceptions. Really nice guy too.
9) Cursed - "Promised Land/Polygraph [Live]" [2:22]
From: "The Last Session" 7" EP
Released: March 9th - High Anxiety
Sounds Like: Holy shit does this 7" rule. The last thing ever recorded by this greatly missed, mid-00s Canadian hardcore band, Cursed find themselves at their highest point here, although shortly thereafter they'd be brought to their lowest as all their money, passports and gear was stolen from them, mere days after this was recorded which led to the end of the band. Seriously, two great Cursed songs packaged into one with the kind of ferocity that you really can't get across on a regular recorded LP.
10) The Morning Benders - "Excuses" [5:17]
From: "Big Echo" LP
Released: March 9th - Rough Trade
Sounds Like: I came across this band when trying to check out some of the lesser known acts at Sasquatch one year and found them charming and easy to listen to. Little did I know that they'd go off and make a new LP produced by Grizzley Bear's Chris Taylor filled with such bombast (reverb and a string section will do that for you) but manage to remain as charming as I first found them.
11) Titus Andronicus - "Four Score and Seven" [8:39]
From: "The Monitor" 2xLP
Released: March 9th - XL Recordings
Sounds Like: Well this is my favourite song off of my favourite LP of the year so prepare for a lengthy write-up. I recall coming across this at the end of '09 and I'm pretty sure I made the bold prediction then that it'd be my favourite record of 2010 (before hearing the rest of the album as this was the pre-release single) and I can safely say that I agree with 2009 me. The music has this beautiful epic nature to it but still finds a way to be just a great, driving rock song similar to some previous New Jersey/New York artists that you can definitely find influence of within Titus' entire recorded output. The vocals are harsh, pained but never overwhelming and have a great throaty quality to them that make you want to yell along with them shit hits the fan. Amazing lyricism that's ever-present from start to finish, the album itself an extended metaphor comparing songwriter Patrick Stickles' experience at college to the civil war... I know, a bit of a hyperbole but did you miss when I said 'epic.' I don't even want to talk "too" much about this record because there will be more said about it shortly but to put it simply, this band and this song absolutely rule.
12) She & Him - "Thieves" [4:05]
From: "Volume Two" LP
Released: March 23rd - Merge
Sounds Like: Finally a record that both indie fanboys in love with Zooey Deschaniel and moms all over can both agree on. "Volume One" released 2 years ago was a nice introduction to the great pairing of M. Ward on guitar and actress Zoeey Deschaniel on vocals and "Volume Two" picked off where the last one started. The whole record runs the gauntlet of 60s-styled AM pop but I like this, the lead off, the most as it features Deschaniel's famed vocals, backed with a really nice string section that is both subtle and at the same time finds a way to soar when appropriate (namely when Deschaniel soars along with it).
13) Black Breath - "Black Sin (Spit On The Cross) [3:30]
From: "Heavy Breathing" LP
Released: March 30th - Southern Lord
Sounds Like: I find the placement of this to be hilarious following the beauty of She & Him, we find ourselves with the best metal/hardcore release of the year, and anti-christian banger that starts hard and fast out of the gate and never really lets up (unless it's for a heavy, Pantera-esque breakdown). Black Breath are the best thing going in the Northwest and as long as they continue to write Entombed-inspired jams like this one, that title will remain safe in their hands. I managed to see these guys live nearly 1/2 a dozen times this year and they can't legally play in Canada so that just shows you how intense my admiration of this band (and this song in particular) is.
14) Dum Dum Girls - "Bhang Bhang, I'm A Burnout" [2:34]
From: "I Will Be" LP
Released: March 30th - Subpop
Sounds Like: A really great all-female quartet from LA playing reverb-drenched (god, what is it with all the reverb this year?) jangly pop songs with a good beat and a fun chorus. Consider this along the lines to the Vivian Girls track featured last year, although that's not to say that those two acts manage to stand out from one another (I'd be completely fine with the two of them touring however).
15) Murder By Death - "As Long As There Is Whiskey In The World" [3:15]
From: "Good Morning Magpie" LP
Released: April 6th - Tent Show
Sounds Like: I have a real soft spot for this band even when their records as a whole don't manage to really do much fo me (as was the case with their last two full lengths), I always manage to find a few songs with that great old western feel, as expressed in a 3 minute pop song. Drinking, fast women, hard living, the same themes are present here as they are on past records but that's really not a bad thing. Gotta love the cello too.
16) Jonsi - "Grow 'Til Tall" [5:21]
From: "Go" LP
Released: April 6th - XL Recordings
Sounds Like: A new Sigur Ros record minus 3/4 of Sigur Ros with more of a flare for techno/computer elements and drama which isn't to say Sigur Ros' music isn't dramatic because lord is it but lead singer Jonsi's debut is dramatic in a different manner. This song would fit well in any Sigur Ros album as it slowly and subtley builds along with Jonsi's amazing falsetto.
17) Damages - "Post Date" [3:08]
From: "Unrequited" 7" EP
Released: April 9th - React!
Sounds Like: My favourite band in Vancouver currently, Damages take the passion of the hardcore scene they grew up in and match it with the amazing musicianship and angular nature of early 90s Touch N' Go recordings. Personal lyrics matched with an unparalleled rhythm section (as far as hardcore goes) and jarring, metallic guitarwork, these guys should be a lot bigger than they are.
18) Kate Nash - "Do-Wah-Doo" [2:34]
From: "My Best Friend Is You" LP
Released: April 20th - Geffen
Sounds Like: I feel like I'm kind of late to the party when it comes to Kate Nash as my friend Shaun has been talking about her greatness for a few years now but I really didn't bother investigating until this record came out earlier this year. This is what pop music should be like nowadays, fun and personal lyrics with a great hook and a beat. I think the thing I like most about Kate Nash is the amusing and endearing nature of her lyrics.
19) Nails - "I Will Not Follow" [1:26]
From: "Unsilent Death" LP
Released: April 27th - Six Feet Undere
Sounds Like: The "hardest" record to come out all year. I had a real tough time narrowing down what Nails song I wanted to include on this mixtape and nearly included the whole record (it's only 14 minutes long, which is comparative to the Boris song included on disc two) but I ended up settling on this one as it gives a broad scope of what's contained throughout the entire record. Vicious, fast riffs matched with absolutely brutal breakdowns and some of the harshest, most angry vocals... all courtesy of hardcore mainstay Todd Jones. Great live band too.
20) Broken Social Scene - "World Sick" [6:49]
From: "Forgiveness Rock Record" 2xLP
Released: May 4th - Arts & Crafts
Sounds Like: I think it's safe to say that I, along with a lot of people were somewhat disappointed by Toronto rock collective Broken Social Scene's last output. Even if it did feature great songs like "7/4 Shoreline" and "Fire Eyed Boy", it really didn't feel as cohesive or well written as BSS's latest offering which is led off by the amazingly epic (and yet, really not that epic at all) "World Sick." I love how this song finds a way to build up so well but the explosions that follow really aren't much more than some well-timed crash cymbal and multiple voices belting out the chorus. Such a great contrast of bombast and restraint... the rest of the record is just as good.
TOTAL: [78:47]
2) The Hold Steady - "The Weekenders" [3:42]
From: "Heaven Is Whenever" LPReleased: May 4th - Vagrant
3) The National - "Bloodbuzz Ohio" [4:36]
From: "High Violet" LPReleased: May 11th - 4AD
Sounds Like: This record has had a funny effect on me as the year goes by. I've always 'liked' The National but never really had any strong opinions about them and that was the case upon initial release/hearing of "High Violet." Once I started listening to it more and more and discussing it's nature (as well as their live show which I can sadly say I haven't seen) amongst friends, I grew to realize how truely amazing this song (and more importantly, this record) is. Amazing baritone vocals, musicianship that gives you traces of early 80s shoegaze/goth and matches it with modern indie rock as well as downright outstanding (and somewhat out of left field) drumming. These guys are starting to get the mainstream recognition that they deserve and I'm glad.
4) Band Of Horses - "Older" [3:28]
From: "Infinite Arms" LPReleased: May 18th - Atlantic
Sounds Like: This seems like somewhat of a recurring trend here, great bands putting out lackluster albums with the occasional brightspot contained. I found myself incredibly disappointed with Band Of Horses major label debut, especially when you consider how amazing their 2005 debut and even their 2007 follow up records were. With that being said, I have a soft-spot for a really pretty country song from time to time and "Older" is just that (something I first caught wind of when I heard them play it 6 months prior to the release of this album). Just really nice and mellow, with sweet vocals and nice harmonies... this is what I think of when I think of good country music and not the bad pop music that the word "country" has come to describe.
5) Harvey Milk - "I Just Want To Go Home" [6:05]
From: "A Small Turn Of Human Kindness" LPReleased: May 18th - Hydrahead
Sounds Like: If this isn't the heaviest fucking record that Tom Waits never made, then I don't know what is. I apologize if I used that analogy to describe Harvey Milk in the past but a) the vocals REALLY sound like a demented Tom Waits and b) this song/record is REALLY fucking heavy. Like, so heavy that I felt the need to drop two "f-bombs" in the write up already (and I feel like I've been somewhat subdued when it comes to cursing up to this point). Seriously... FUCK.
6) Wild Nothing - "Gemini" [5:25]
From: "Gemini" LP
Released: May 25th - EMISounds Like: This song has this really beautiful dream-like quality to it and would fit in quite nicely in the whole early 80s British scene. So with all that said, it was made in a bedroom in Virginia by a single guy, who has since flushed out a touring lineup and will be stopping by here shortly (colour me excited).
7) Narrows - "Recurring" [2:52]
From: "Narrows/Heiress" Split 7" EPReleased: June 1st - Deathwish Inc.
Sounds Like: Another year gone, another rad Narrows release to add to their growing catalogue, somewhat remarkable considering the distance that exists between all the various members. Heavy when it needs to be, thanks in part to the punch in the face that is Dave Verellen's vocals (formerly of Botch), but the backbone of this band is the great guitar work by Ryan Fredriekson (formerly of These Arms Are Snakes) which nicely runs the fine line between heavy and interesting/intricate. These guys write some of my favourite breakdowns in hardcore currently.
8) Ceremony - "Into The Wayside I/Sick" [4:04]
From: "Rohnert Park" LPReleased: June 8th - Bridge 9
Sounds Like: A somewhat polarizing release within the hardcore world, Ceremony's latest full length is the first to really have full fleshed out song ideas. For all those who still long for Ceremony's power-violence past, let me inform you that this is MUCH better. A neat, dark intro that leads perfectly into the heavy, driving nature of the song that lasts throughout. Never has someone said the word "sick" so many times in the song and not only do I not find myself "sick" of it, but instead wanting to scream along with him (even if I'm not sick of Black Flag). One of the best hardcore LPs to come out this year.
9) Forming - "Hate My Guts" [3:47]
From: "Forming" 7" EPReleased: June 15th - Vitriol
Sounds Like: This was a bit of a late find on my behalf (thanks in part to being introduced to some new music by a new acquaintance) but SoCal's Forming has really grown on me in a relatively short period of time. Shades of Revolution Summer hardcore with really emotional, raspy lyrics with a catchy chorus, you'd never guess that Forming share members with Graf Orlock. I'd love for these guys to put out a full length, sooner rather than later.
10) The Gaslight Anthem - "The Spirit Of Jazz" [3:13]
From: "American Slang" LPReleased: June 15th - SideOneDummy
Sounds Like: The same great Gaslight Anthem that you've come to know and love. New Jersey rock n' roll, with a bit of a punk rock filter, great personal lyrics and huge anthemic choruses. "American Slang" was another one of those records that took a while to grow on me (mainly because the single of the same name felt kind of flat to me initially) but I feel like it holds up to their breakthrough LP "The '59 Sound" and may even exceed it. If you like The Gaslight Anthem, you will like this song.
11) Give - "One" [4:22]
From: "Heaven Is Waiting" 7" EP
Released: June 15th - React!
Sounds Like: This is another band that took a while to grow on me as I wasn't *that* impressed by when I saw them here in Vancouver a year+ ago, nor did their LP catch my fancy at the time. This song succeeds due to it's really interesting guitar work as well as the vocals which I feel are somewhat unique in the world of hardcore. These guys' influences are all over the map and I feel like it's led to a series of fresh, interesting 7"s put out by some really diverse hardcore labels (React and Deranged respectively)
12) Wolf Parade - "Yulia" [3:47]
From: "Expo 86" 2xLPReleased: June 29th - Subpop
Sounds Like: Even though "Expo 86" isn't my favourite LP to come out this year (and don't get me wrong, it's good... certainly better than 2008's "At Mount Zoomer"), "Yulia" will probably go down as my favourite song of 2010. The beat is perfect, driving and a bringer of anticipation. The music is really subtle but is a perfect backdrop for the story that unfolds: a tale of separation, distance and eventual demise. Without a doubt the most heartbreaking thing I heard all year, with a great music video that really visualizes the lyrics in a way most videos could only hope to accomplish.
13) Alec Hugill - "Bonnie & Clyde" [3:13]
From: "The Art Of Losing" Digital EPReleased: July 7th - Villains
Sounds Like: Alec Hugill is one half of "Falling Out Of Love At This Volume", an English duo who make stripped down, pretty songs that you can probably guess the subject matter of (also if you get the reference, you're probably going to get a better understanding of the influence behind their work). This EP is a bit of a collection of odds and ends but I ended up liking it even more than some of his previous work. Really lonesome, pretty lyrics (bordering on depressing... I know that sounds like a contradiction, deal with it) over a nicely picked guitar melody with earnest production values. HEY! Another singer-songwriter that I can handle, who also happens to be a friend of mine. I always look forward to hearing new material from him.
14) Boris - "Luna" [12:12]
From: "Chapter Ahead Being Fake" Split 10" EPReleased: July 13th - Hydrahead
Sounds Like: This song actually came out in 2009 in Japan but as is the case with a lot of Boris' material, didn't find its way to North America until a year later, as a part of a really great split 10" with like-minded rockers, Torche. As is the case with all Boris songs, it takes a unique spin on familiar songs and just adds more to Boris' mystique/reputation as the most unique, interesting bands in rock today. Shoegaze riffs with Black metal drumming, extended ambiant passages and a heavy as shit breakdown to close things off , albeit rather abruptly? You bet, another one of the reasons that Boris is the only band to be featured on every single mixtape I've put out of this nature (it also helps that they are constantly writing new music).
15) End Of A Year - "Phillip Jose Farmer" [3:56]
From: "You Are Beneath Me" LPReleased: July 13th - Deathwish Inc.
Sounds Like: Is that Tetris being played in the background to start things off? Sure is, as another great melancholy End Of A Year track gets underway. Don't be mislead by my song selection when it comes to these guys goes for the past two years, they write really great early 80s DC hardcore inspired songs that drive and deliver but I also enjoy their 'softer' side (really not a great choice of words) but perhaps we'll go with their 'more emotional' side. Another prolific band that as long as they continue to write great material at the rate they do, will continue to be a part of these mixtapes.
16) Best Coast - "When I'm With You" [2:58]
From: "Crazy For You" LPReleased: July 27th - Mexican Summer
Sounds Like: This one was a bit of a surprise as I really didn't expect to like lo-fi songs about missing boys, cats and smoking weed sung by a girl but damn it, they're great and I do. Another track that really showcases all the strenghs of the entire LP, "When I'm With You" which closes things out starts out slowly and shows the longing in Bethany Cosentino's voice but then kicks in with a great toe-tapping beat that persists until the song is done. Just a really fun song/record in general.
17) Converge - "On My Shield" [4:12]
From: "On My Shield" 7" EPReleased: July - Self-Released
Sounds Like: I really wasn't anticipating any new material from Converge after last year's great LP "Axe To Fall" and their tendency to take 3 years off between records but then this release snuck up and was a welcome surprise. Releasd initially as a European tour-only 7" (major thanks go to Alex for picking me up a copy when he saw them in Manchester), the song starts with heavy 80s metal riffing and then because it's Converge after all, it kicks up the bpm, and sounds like the end of the world. If I had to pick one band to see for the rest of my life, it would be Converge and it's consistently great songs like these that make that an easy pick for me.
18) Burning Love - "Don't Ever Change" [2:50] From: "Songs For Burning Lovers" LP
TOTAL: [74:03]
[DISC THREE]
1) The Arcade Fire - "Suburban War" [4:45]
From: "The Suburbs" 2xLP
Released: Aug 3rd - Merge
Sounds Like: Probably the biggest thing going in indie music nowadays, the Arcade Fire returned to form with "The Suburbs", a sprawling, epic, concept record that deals with the kind of trials and tribulations any youth growing up in a suburban environment deals with. Falling under this category of someone who wanted out (and still sort of does), I found myself moved by the subject matter which is really encapsulated well within the track "Suburban War." Broken into two parts, a quaint guitar line as Win Butler recounts the goings on of his youth and the divide that formed when something seeminly as trivial as 'music' would 'divide [them] into tribes', which leads to the second half of the track... the suburban war itself. Thunderous, tribal-influenced drums drive the back half of the song and really ties things together in a haunting manner. God, I love this song.
2) Wavves - "Post Acid" [2:10]
From: "King Of The Beach" LP
Released: Aug 3rd - Fat Possum
Sounds Like: Wavves makes its second consecutive appearance and just the same as last year, I'm not crazy about the artist behind the art but the end product more than makes up for my disdain and truely proves that you don't have to respect or emphathize with someone to appreciate their work. I originally included the track "Mickey Mouse" off this record because it reminded me of a really good, bouncy Animal Collective jam but after a brief deliberation, decided that "Post Acid" with it's fuzzed out, explosive riffs and great sing-a-longable chorus would be a better representation of this record.
3) Beck - "Ramona" [4:24]
From: "Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World Original Soundtrack" LP
Released: Aug 10th - ABKCO Records
Sounds Like: I'm about as far as it gets from a Beck fan, never really having much of an appreciation for his singles,although I will admit admiration for his ability to trascend genres and remain relevant. With all that said, his 2002 record "Sea Change" is a beautiful work of art, focusing on a series of sombre, acoustic-driven songs that "Ramona" is reminiscient of. The entire soundtrack to the film is great, highlighted by the numerous Sex Bob-omb tracks (Scott Pilgrim's fictional band) as composed by Beck Hansen himself.
4) No Age - "Inflorescence" [2:51]
From: "Glitter" 7" EP
Released: Aug 24th - Subpop
Sounds Like: This is the first instance of a band that I love, releasing a really great LP in 2010 but instead of picking one of the standout tracks from it to feature here, I found myself more enthralled by the B-Side from the lead off single of said album. "Everything In Between" was a stellar follow up to 2008's "Nouns", but when it came down to it, the song that I couldn't get enough from this LA-based two-piece art punk outfit was the simple beat and jangley guitar of "Inflorescence." This is great hook-y, punk that's been turned on its head and I'm glad these guys are getting the recognition they deserve.
5) Torche - "Cast Into Unknown" [2:12]
From: "Songs For Singles" 12" EP
Released: Sept 14th - Hydrahead
Sounds Like: Torche really came through a good bunch of "singles", songs that didn't really fit into the context (or desired length) of an album and thus became a fun sub 20 minute jaunt of pop-metal that this Florida 3 piece has become known for. This was one of the harder picks for me to narrow down as the release is made up of 4 or 5 great, 2 minute hooky numbers as well 2 of their down-tuned, stoner tinged metal fixtures. Sometimes you can't get everything packaged as succinctly in one great song like 2008's "Fat Waves", so I went with "Cast Into Unknown" which is more akin to a great punk song as far as pacing goes.
6) The Walkmen - "Angela Surf City" [3:23]
From: "Lisbon" LP
Released: Sept 14th - Fat Possum
Sounds Like: Somehow I missed out on "In the New Year", The Walkmen's GREAT single from 2008 until 2009 (how fitting considering the song title) but Lisbon is a great follow up to it and "Angela Surf City" is a really great mix of subdued, jangled verses with lamentful lyrics and surf-rock inspired choruses that really grab the bull by the horns and go with it. I can imagine some listeners not being enthralled by Hamilton Lethrauser's vocals but in a world where so many bands have singers that sound the same, I enjoy the bit of a change of pace that they offer.
7) Forgetters - "The Night Accelerates" [3:22]
From: "Forgetters" 2x7" EP
Released: Sept 21st - Too Small To Fail
Sounds Like: It's Blake Schwartzenbach from Jawbreaker singing and playing guitar in a new band. I could literally stop writing there and you should all want to drop everything and listen but I have a feeling that isn't as big of a "selling line" for most as it is for me. Another late find this year, this double 7" release (a bit of a rare treat) was a welcome addition to this collection as a steady punk-tinged rock song is greeted by the warm, familiar voice that has gotten me through so many tough points in my (albeit short) life. Can't wait for an LP, hopefully next year.
8) Superchunk - "Crossed Wires" [3:48]
From: "Majesty Shredding" LP
Released: Sept 21st - Merge
Sounds Like: Another band that I'm definitely late to the party on, I definitely feel like a fool for this being my introduction to Superchunk. However, having never really taken the time to familiarize myself with their work besides early singles like "Slack Motherfucker" or "Detroit Has a Skyline", I was pleasantly informed that this, their first album in a decade was a great representation of what has made this band an indie-mainstay for 2+ decades. The first time I heard this song was when I saw them live this past fall and I found myself singing along by the end, you should probably do the same.
9) Tim Kasher - "Don't Get Caught" [3:53]
From: "Cold Love" 7" EP
Released: Sept 21st - Saddle Creek
Sounds Like: The second of two songs that fall into the "No Age" category, Tim Kasher released what I thought was a really great debut solo LP this year entitled "The Game Of Monogamy." Simultaneously catchy and heart breaking (especially for one going through a separation of his own at the time), it takes the great vivid lyricism that Kasher is known for, paired with music that wasn't too far off from his previous work in The Good Life (with a tinge of Cursive thrown in for good measure) and added a new dimension to it all. This song has a ton of time-signatures used and was a tad confusing to tap my feet along to when I saw it performed live but that just endeared it to me even more.
10) Deerhunter - "Desire Lines" [6:45]
From: "Halycon Digest" LP
Released: Sept 28th - 4AD
Sounds Like: One thing Deerhunter has definitely never been accused of is lacking in the mood department when it comes to these long-running atmospheric jams. This song reminds me of "Nothing Ever Happened" a song off their great full length from two years ago that hits you with a quick verse-chorus-verse-chorus and then meanders (in a good way) for 2-3 minutes. "Desire Lines" has a more organic feel to it, not relying so heavily on effects but still presenting a product that dips in and out of a great outro that lasts seemingly forever (also in a good way).
11) Nomos - "A Witness" [1:35]
From: "Notes From the Acheron" 12" EP
Released: Sept 28th - Deranged
Sounds Like: This is about as far from Deerhunter as you can get... fierce, deliberate and just a total banger from start to finish (which admittedly, isn't all that long). Nomos really exploded out of their Brooklyn based homestead with this, the lead off from a total banger of a 12" EP (6 songs in something like 8 minutes), which in some ways was the catalyst to me falling back in love with hardcore of this nature. Frenetic, hard hitting... another great Deranged release.
12) Belle & Sebastian "I Want The World To Stop" [4:32]
From: "Belle & Sebastian Write About Love" LP
Released: Oct 12th - Matador
Sounds Like: I'll tell you what it doesn't sound like is early Belle & Sebastian which I've fallen in love with over the course of the last 12 months. My friend Tim once quipped that for an album titled "...Write About Love" it seems too upbeat and while I agree that I tend to be more of a fan of their earlier, downbeat numbers, Belle & Sebastian have created a really fun, he-said, she-said pop song with Stuart Murdoch's vocals really soaring here. Not crazy about the drum machine though...
13) Envy - "A Breath Clad In Happiness" [6:25]
From: "Recitation" 2xLP
Released: Oct 12th - Temporary Residence
Sounds Like: No one that I've come across really matches post-rock with screamo quite like Envy do. Having been at it for as long as they have with 1/2 a dozen LPs to their name, I have to admire what they've done to reinvent themselves by seeminly not dwelling on the negative so much and using some major keys. Where their songs used to be comprised of solemn, low-key builds that would explode with rage, that expulsion of emotion by lead singer Tetsuya Fukagawa is now one of exhuberance and joy. Envy are the best example of not necessarily having to know what's being said because it's either distorted, screamed or in this case, a different language to really comprehend the emotion behind how it's being said.
14) Sufjan Stevens - "The Age Of Adz" [8:00]
From: "The Age Of Adz" 2xLP
Released: Oct 12th - Asthmatic Kitty
Sounds Like: It had been far too long since we were graced with Sufjan's immense song-writing ability, 2005's "Illinois" being one of my favourite records of the past decade. Here he meshes his really low-key singer-songwriter nature with his flare for the dramatic nature of orchestral pop as well as electro blips and blops. It sounds like a bit of a mess but it works in a Sufjan-like manner. Another record that took a few listens for me to really get a good grasp on but probably the most inventive and interesting record of 2010 even if it wasn't necessarily my favourite.
15) Pissed Jeans - "Sam Kinison Woman" [3:48]
From: "Sam Kinison Woman" 7" EP
Released: Oct 26th - Subpop
Sounds Like: Pissed Jeans could seriously do no wrong in my eyes. One of the best live acts in rock/punk, they manage to release tracks that are either weird and disengaging, slowly building to a climax (like the one I included last year) or ones that just kick your ass and make you want to bob your head along, such is the case with "Sam Kinison Woman." As usual, the bass line anchors things (and is damn catchy) while the guitar wails and howls with distorted precision, that I imagine probably wouldn't seem all that precise to some.
16) Baroness - "Bikeage" [2:18]
From: "A Horse Called Golgotha" 7" EP
Released: Nov 2nd - Relapse
Sounds Like: It's Baroness, probably the foremost producer of the new wave of sludge tinged, southern metal covering one of the greatest punk bands of all time, The Descendents. Seriously what's not to like? When I first picked up this 7", I was hoping for more of a Baroness-esque take on the classic number (my fav Descendents song ever for the record) but what I got was more of a straight ahead, faithful to the original rendition which honestly was just as welcome. So different from what I've come to expect from these guys but I'd love to see this other side of them expressed on future releases.
17) Kylesa - "Don't Look Back" [3:21]
From: "Spiral Shadow" LP
Released: Nov 2nd - Seasons Of Mist
Sounds Like: Speaking of Southern Metal (or maybe not), Kylesa returned with a total sleeper of an LP this year. Having seen them live and never really been all that impressed with them, I was nearly knocked on my ass when I heard "Spiral Shadow" and it's amazing mix of prog, sludge and college rock. I don't know if I was caught off guard as much as I was as I took a cold November walk through New West and was greeted by "Don't Look Back", which feels like a long lost mid 90s alternative rock hit that somehow flew under your radar because you were too young and not exposed to it. This may be the best pure rock song written all year.
18) Jesu - "Aureated Skin" [6:46]
From: "Heartache & Dethroned" 2x12" EP
Released: Nov 16th - Hydrahead
Sounds Like: Seemingly not as busy as he used to be, Jesu's Justin Broadrick only found himself releasing this double EP this year which I felt had a really interesting element to it. "Heartache" was a re-issue of his first work under the Jesu banner, which was paired with "Dethroned", a series of songs he began working on back then in 2004 but didn't finish until earlier this year. What this means is you get the best of both worlds, Jesu's earlier affinity for heavy groundwork mixed with his later tendency of haunting vocals and pretty textures. Jesu is the perfect music to put on the turntable and then just lay down and stair at the ceiling to, seeing where it inevitably takes you.
19) Troops Of Tomorrow - "TWWL"
From: "TWWL" 7" EP
Released: Nov 26th - Photobooth
Sounds Like: Youthful, pissed off, suburban energy exploding out into the nation's capital (let me clarify, not *my* nation), Troops of Tomorrow have taken a somewhat dated sound within the realm of hardcore and filled it with fresh blood. From the opening british-inspired jangley series of chords to the ensuing 'blitz' that follows, concluding with one of the most 'real' lyrics of the year, bellowed at you by a seemingly never ending supply of pissed off young adults. It won't be long before the rest of the punk world will be listening to these guys (and girl).
20) Crisis Of Conformity - "Fistfight In A Parking Lot" [3:16]
From: N/A
Released: N/A
Sounds Like: I threw this on as a bit of a bonus track as it's a skit from earlier this year on SNL. The premise is simple: a proud father at his daughter's wedding, kindly requests while making a speach to get his old band back together for another shot at rekindling their glory days. What follows unexpectedly is the reunion of an early 80s styled hardcore band who blast through a song that references a lot of great things/ideals from an infamous time in punk history. I don't know if this will come across as well as it did visually, nor do I know if it's as funny to people who don't get all the little references that are contained within but it's without a doubt my favourite thing SNL has done in a VERY long time.
TOTAL: [79:22]
Click Here (Right Click/Save As) To Download "Danielage! Presents: Best of 2010 Mixtape Disc Three"
[DISC ONE]
From: "Contra" LP
Released: Jan 12th - XL Recordings
Sounds Like: 2008's ivy-league indie buzz band returned in 2010 with a record that I feel like most people found superior to their stellar debut. I wasn't as high on it as most but still found plenty of good within it, the highlight of which being "White Sky", which I felt continued on with their own brand of afro-pop inspired musicianship, catchy rhythm and sing-a-longable chorus' (in this case, a series of vocal sounds).
From: "Astro Coast" LP
Released: Jan 19th - Kanine
Sounds Like: What one would hope new Weezer records would sound like (this coming from a gigantic Weezer fan who hasn't put anything from their latest two LPs on his mixtapes). Youthful but full of energy and some "real" subject matter, this is a great power pop band who'll be making some real waves in the coming years (having just signed a major label deal). I'd wager most blogs of similar ilk would point out the stellar arena-anthem-esque "Swim" but I myself was more into the closer with it's on-par chorus matched well with subtlety.
Released: Jan 19th - Kanine
Sounds Like: What one would hope new Weezer records would sound like (this coming from a gigantic Weezer fan who hasn't put anything from their latest two LPs on his mixtapes). Youthful but full of energy and some "real" subject matter, this is a great power pop band who'll be making some real waves in the coming years (having just signed a major label deal). I'd wager most blogs of similar ilk would point out the stellar arena-anthem-esque "Swim" but I myself was more into the closer with it's on-par chorus matched well with subtlety.
3) Beach House - "Zebra" [4:52]From: "Teen Dream" 2xLP
Released: Jan 26th - Subpop
Sounds Like: I've been a fan of Beach House for an album now and even I didn't see this coming. Expanding their boundaries from the minimalism that dominated their earlier releases but still keeping true to the beauty in their established sound, mainly found in Victoria Legrand's beautifully haunting vocals. The lead off song from the best "pop" record of 2010 that was criminally overlooked by the mainstream.
4) Los Campesinos - "The Sea Is A Good Place To Think Of The Future" [4:27]From: "Romance Is Boring" LP
Released: Jan 26th - Arts & Crafts
Sounds Like: not the latest Los Campesinos single, that's for sure but fans of this Welsh Septet's earlier work don't fret, it's still good... just not what one would expect. These guys really built their name on jangley, layered pop songs with big sing (shout) a-long choruses and cheeky lyrics (which is certainly how I grew to become a fan of theirs). I have to say I was a tad surprised when the returned with this song, a more subdued, depressing song about dealing with death and contemplating suicide. Still has the nice layered element, and great lyrics (albeit of a different variety) and should not be overlooked.
5) Blacklisted - "Stones Throw" [3:59]From: "Eccentrichine" 7" EP
Released: Feb 9th - Six Feet Under
Sounds Like: I really don't know how Blacklisted are going to be remembered if they actually are "through" as a band (having made some vague insinuations that they are), but hopefully it's just as much for songs like these as it is for their hardest of the hardcore past. Originally a hardcore band from Philadelphia, over the course of the last 2 LPs and this fantastic (and again, overlooked) 7", Blacklisted grew to a point where they matched lead singer George Hirsch's deeply personal lyricism with music that haunted and creeped in a similar vein to a versatile, early 90s grunge act as opposed to being hit over the head with a sack of bricks, as they did on past releases.
6) Local Natives - "Airplanes" [4:oo] From: "Gorilla Manor" LP
Released: Feb 16th - French Kiss
Sounds Like: A really fun pop song from this California 4 piece, featuring really nice melodies, a shiney, sunny jangle and a memorable, sing-songy chorus. These guys were fun live at Sasquatch and I found myself hard-pressed to write anything too deep or extensive over what they did there and why I like it but suffice to say, I do.
7) Fang Island - "Daisy" [3:19]From: "Fang Island" LP
Released: Feb 23rd - Sargent House
Sounds Like: If you ask Fang Island to describe what they sound like, they'd tell you "everyone high-fiving everyone" (their quote, not mine). I find myself hard pressed to disagree as contained within this 3 minute math-rock jam is a tremendous amount of energy backed by some serious technical mastery. Lots of blips and blops, a steady beat and humongous reverb-enriched vocals. So much fun, if you don't smile while listening to this you probably need a new mouth.
8) Rocky Votolato - "Fragments" [2:58]From: "True Devotion" LP
Released: Feb 23rd - Barsuk
Sounds Like: In the year that I finally found myself seeing Rocky Votolato live (in the most unreal of settings, more on that later), he released a record that didn't really resonate with me as much as some of his previous work, for the most part. "True Devotion" is filled with the same great singer-songwriter-esque songs that I've come to expect but none of them really clicked with me on a deeper level. His beautiful voice and solid guitar work is nice here nonetheless and I did find myself enjoying this song, and I don't want this to sound too negative because when it comes down to it, most "singer-songwriter" music is filed under the "boring" category as far as I'm concerned and Rocky Votolato is one of the few exceptions. Really nice guy too.
9) Cursed - "Promised Land/Polygraph [Live]" [2:22]From: "The Last Session" 7" EP
Released: March 9th - High Anxiety
Sounds Like: Holy shit does this 7" rule. The last thing ever recorded by this greatly missed, mid-00s Canadian hardcore band, Cursed find themselves at their highest point here, although shortly thereafter they'd be brought to their lowest as all their money, passports and gear was stolen from them, mere days after this was recorded which led to the end of the band. Seriously, two great Cursed songs packaged into one with the kind of ferocity that you really can't get across on a regular recorded LP.
10) The Morning Benders - "Excuses" [5:17]From: "Big Echo" LP
Released: March 9th - Rough Trade
Sounds Like: I came across this band when trying to check out some of the lesser known acts at Sasquatch one year and found them charming and easy to listen to. Little did I know that they'd go off and make a new LP produced by Grizzley Bear's Chris Taylor filled with such bombast (reverb and a string section will do that for you) but manage to remain as charming as I first found them.
11) Titus Andronicus - "Four Score and Seven" [8:39]From: "The Monitor" 2xLP
Released: March 9th - XL Recordings
Sounds Like: Well this is my favourite song off of my favourite LP of the year so prepare for a lengthy write-up. I recall coming across this at the end of '09 and I'm pretty sure I made the bold prediction then that it'd be my favourite record of 2010 (before hearing the rest of the album as this was the pre-release single) and I can safely say that I agree with 2009 me. The music has this beautiful epic nature to it but still finds a way to be just a great, driving rock song similar to some previous New Jersey/New York artists that you can definitely find influence of within Titus' entire recorded output. The vocals are harsh, pained but never overwhelming and have a great throaty quality to them that make you want to yell along with them shit hits the fan. Amazing lyricism that's ever-present from start to finish, the album itself an extended metaphor comparing songwriter Patrick Stickles' experience at college to the civil war... I know, a bit of a hyperbole but did you miss when I said 'epic.' I don't even want to talk "too" much about this record because there will be more said about it shortly but to put it simply, this band and this song absolutely rule.
12) She & Him - "Thieves" [4:05]From: "Volume Two" LP
Released: March 23rd - Merge
Sounds Like: Finally a record that both indie fanboys in love with Zooey Deschaniel and moms all over can both agree on. "Volume One" released 2 years ago was a nice introduction to the great pairing of M. Ward on guitar and actress Zoeey Deschaniel on vocals and "Volume Two" picked off where the last one started. The whole record runs the gauntlet of 60s-styled AM pop but I like this, the lead off, the most as it features Deschaniel's famed vocals, backed with a really nice string section that is both subtle and at the same time finds a way to soar when appropriate (namely when Deschaniel soars along with it).
13) Black Breath - "Black Sin (Spit On The Cross) [3:30]From: "Heavy Breathing" LP
Released: March 30th - Southern Lord
Sounds Like: I find the placement of this to be hilarious following the beauty of She & Him, we find ourselves with the best metal/hardcore release of the year, and anti-christian banger that starts hard and fast out of the gate and never really lets up (unless it's for a heavy, Pantera-esque breakdown). Black Breath are the best thing going in the Northwest and as long as they continue to write Entombed-inspired jams like this one, that title will remain safe in their hands. I managed to see these guys live nearly 1/2 a dozen times this year and they can't legally play in Canada so that just shows you how intense my admiration of this band (and this song in particular) is.
14) Dum Dum Girls - "Bhang Bhang, I'm A Burnout" [2:34]From: "I Will Be" LP
Released: March 30th - Subpop
Sounds Like: A really great all-female quartet from LA playing reverb-drenched (god, what is it with all the reverb this year?) jangly pop songs with a good beat and a fun chorus. Consider this along the lines to the Vivian Girls track featured last year, although that's not to say that those two acts manage to stand out from one another (I'd be completely fine with the two of them touring however).
15) Murder By Death - "As Long As There Is Whiskey In The World" [3:15]From: "Good Morning Magpie" LP
Released: April 6th - Tent Show
Sounds Like: I have a real soft spot for this band even when their records as a whole don't manage to really do much fo me (as was the case with their last two full lengths), I always manage to find a few songs with that great old western feel, as expressed in a 3 minute pop song. Drinking, fast women, hard living, the same themes are present here as they are on past records but that's really not a bad thing. Gotta love the cello too.
16) Jonsi - "Grow 'Til Tall" [5:21]From: "Go" LP
Released: April 6th - XL Recordings
Sounds Like: A new Sigur Ros record minus 3/4 of Sigur Ros with more of a flare for techno/computer elements and drama which isn't to say Sigur Ros' music isn't dramatic because lord is it but lead singer Jonsi's debut is dramatic in a different manner. This song would fit well in any Sigur Ros album as it slowly and subtley builds along with Jonsi's amazing falsetto.
17) Damages - "Post Date" [3:08]From: "Unrequited" 7" EP
Released: April 9th - React!
Sounds Like: My favourite band in Vancouver currently, Damages take the passion of the hardcore scene they grew up in and match it with the amazing musicianship and angular nature of early 90s Touch N' Go recordings. Personal lyrics matched with an unparalleled rhythm section (as far as hardcore goes) and jarring, metallic guitarwork, these guys should be a lot bigger than they are.
18) Kate Nash - "Do-Wah-Doo" [2:34]From: "My Best Friend Is You" LP
Released: April 20th - Geffen
Sounds Like: I feel like I'm kind of late to the party when it comes to Kate Nash as my friend Shaun has been talking about her greatness for a few years now but I really didn't bother investigating until this record came out earlier this year. This is what pop music should be like nowadays, fun and personal lyrics with a great hook and a beat. I think the thing I like most about Kate Nash is the amusing and endearing nature of her lyrics.
19) Nails - "I Will Not Follow" [1:26]From: "Unsilent Death" LP
Released: April 27th - Six Feet Undere
Sounds Like: The "hardest" record to come out all year. I had a real tough time narrowing down what Nails song I wanted to include on this mixtape and nearly included the whole record (it's only 14 minutes long, which is comparative to the Boris song included on disc two) but I ended up settling on this one as it gives a broad scope of what's contained throughout the entire record. Vicious, fast riffs matched with absolutely brutal breakdowns and some of the harshest, most angry vocals... all courtesy of hardcore mainstay Todd Jones. Great live band too.
20) Broken Social Scene - "World Sick" [6:49]From: "Forgiveness Rock Record" 2xLP
Released: May 4th - Arts & Crafts
Sounds Like: I think it's safe to say that I, along with a lot of people were somewhat disappointed by Toronto rock collective Broken Social Scene's last output. Even if it did feature great songs like "7/4 Shoreline" and "Fire Eyed Boy", it really didn't feel as cohesive or well written as BSS's latest offering which is led off by the amazingly epic (and yet, really not that epic at all) "World Sick." I love how this song finds a way to build up so well but the explosions that follow really aren't much more than some well-timed crash cymbal and multiple voices belting out the chorus. Such a great contrast of bombast and restraint... the rest of the record is just as good.
TOTAL: [78:47]
Click Here (Right Click/Save As) To Download "Danielage! Presents: Best of 2010 Mixtape Disc One"
[DISC TWO]
1) The Austerity Program - "Song 25" [4:42]
From: "Backsliders and Apostates Will Burn" 12" EP
Released: May 4th - Hydrahead
Sounds Like: I feel like these guys are really overlooked as I have yet to find a single soul who has heard of them. A Brooklyn based two-piece, The Austerity Program makes music that's weird but hits hard courtesy of a guitar, bass and drum machine assault and has some really great vocal parts/delivery. I actually first encountered them on a Hydrahead sampler comp that came out earlier this year and nearly included the song off it ("Song 27") but went with this instead based on my love for how it builds from a simple droning to an aural catastrophe.
[DISC TWO]
1) The Austerity Program - "Song 25" [4:42]From: "Backsliders and Apostates Will Burn" 12" EP
Released: May 4th - Hydrahead
Sounds Like: I feel like these guys are really overlooked as I have yet to find a single soul who has heard of them. A Brooklyn based two-piece, The Austerity Program makes music that's weird but hits hard courtesy of a guitar, bass and drum machine assault and has some really great vocal parts/delivery. I actually first encountered them on a Hydrahead sampler comp that came out earlier this year and nearly included the song off it ("Song 27") but went with this instead based on my love for how it builds from a simple droning to an aural catastrophe.
2) The Hold Steady - "The Weekenders" [3:42]From: "Heaven Is Whenever" LP
Sounds Like: "Heaven Is Whenever" will probably go down as The Hold Steady's worst record but "The Weekenders" is among their best work. Indie rock's best bar band kept their namesake alive with really subdued verses highlighting Craig Finn's great near spoken-word lyricism (seriously, my favourite lyric of the year is in this song... try and guess what it is), matched with great, rock choruses (yet again, the quiet-loud dynamic works) and you have yourself another successful song. I finally got to see these guys live for the first time this year and hearing this was definitely one of the highlights.
3) The National - "Bloodbuzz Ohio" [4:36]From: "High Violet" LP
Sounds Like: This record has had a funny effect on me as the year goes by. I've always 'liked' The National but never really had any strong opinions about them and that was the case upon initial release/hearing of "High Violet." Once I started listening to it more and more and discussing it's nature (as well as their live show which I can sadly say I haven't seen) amongst friends, I grew to realize how truely amazing this song (and more importantly, this record) is. Amazing baritone vocals, musicianship that gives you traces of early 80s shoegaze/goth and matches it with modern indie rock as well as downright outstanding (and somewhat out of left field) drumming. These guys are starting to get the mainstream recognition that they deserve and I'm glad.
4) Band Of Horses - "Older" [3:28]From: "Infinite Arms" LP
Sounds Like: This seems like somewhat of a recurring trend here, great bands putting out lackluster albums with the occasional brightspot contained. I found myself incredibly disappointed with Band Of Horses major label debut, especially when you consider how amazing their 2005 debut and even their 2007 follow up records were. With that being said, I have a soft-spot for a really pretty country song from time to time and "Older" is just that (something I first caught wind of when I heard them play it 6 months prior to the release of this album). Just really nice and mellow, with sweet vocals and nice harmonies... this is what I think of when I think of good country music and not the bad pop music that the word "country" has come to describe.
5) Harvey Milk - "I Just Want To Go Home" [6:05]From: "A Small Turn Of Human Kindness" LP
Sounds Like: If this isn't the heaviest fucking record that Tom Waits never made, then I don't know what is. I apologize if I used that analogy to describe Harvey Milk in the past but a) the vocals REALLY sound like a demented Tom Waits and b) this song/record is REALLY fucking heavy. Like, so heavy that I felt the need to drop two "f-bombs" in the write up already (and I feel like I've been somewhat subdued when it comes to cursing up to this point). Seriously... FUCK.
6) Wild Nothing - "Gemini" [5:25]From: "Gemini" LP
Released: May 25th - EMI
7) Narrows - "Recurring" [2:52]From: "Narrows/Heiress" Split 7" EP
Sounds Like: Another year gone, another rad Narrows release to add to their growing catalogue, somewhat remarkable considering the distance that exists between all the various members. Heavy when it needs to be, thanks in part to the punch in the face that is Dave Verellen's vocals (formerly of Botch), but the backbone of this band is the great guitar work by Ryan Fredriekson (formerly of These Arms Are Snakes) which nicely runs the fine line between heavy and interesting/intricate. These guys write some of my favourite breakdowns in hardcore currently.
8) Ceremony - "Into The Wayside I/Sick" [4:04]From: "Rohnert Park" LP
Sounds Like: A somewhat polarizing release within the hardcore world, Ceremony's latest full length is the first to really have full fleshed out song ideas. For all those who still long for Ceremony's power-violence past, let me inform you that this is MUCH better. A neat, dark intro that leads perfectly into the heavy, driving nature of the song that lasts throughout. Never has someone said the word "sick" so many times in the song and not only do I not find myself "sick" of it, but instead wanting to scream along with him (even if I'm not sick of Black Flag). One of the best hardcore LPs to come out this year.
9) Forming - "Hate My Guts" [3:47]From: "Forming" 7" EP
Sounds Like: This was a bit of a late find on my behalf (thanks in part to being introduced to some new music by a new acquaintance) but SoCal's Forming has really grown on me in a relatively short period of time. Shades of Revolution Summer hardcore with really emotional, raspy lyrics with a catchy chorus, you'd never guess that Forming share members with Graf Orlock. I'd love for these guys to put out a full length, sooner rather than later.
10) The Gaslight Anthem - "The Spirit Of Jazz" [3:13]From: "American Slang" LP
Sounds Like: The same great Gaslight Anthem that you've come to know and love. New Jersey rock n' roll, with a bit of a punk rock filter, great personal lyrics and huge anthemic choruses. "American Slang" was another one of those records that took a while to grow on me (mainly because the single of the same name felt kind of flat to me initially) but I feel like it holds up to their breakthrough LP "The '59 Sound" and may even exceed it. If you like The Gaslight Anthem, you will like this song.
11) Give - "One" [4:22]From: "Heaven Is Waiting" 7" EP
Released: June 15th - React!
Sounds Like: This is another band that took a while to grow on me as I wasn't *that* impressed by when I saw them here in Vancouver a year+ ago, nor did their LP catch my fancy at the time. This song succeeds due to it's really interesting guitar work as well as the vocals which I feel are somewhat unique in the world of hardcore. These guys' influences are all over the map and I feel like it's led to a series of fresh, interesting 7"s put out by some really diverse hardcore labels (React and Deranged respectively)
12) Wolf Parade - "Yulia" [3:47]From: "Expo 86" 2xLP
Sounds Like: Even though "Expo 86" isn't my favourite LP to come out this year (and don't get me wrong, it's good... certainly better than 2008's "At Mount Zoomer"), "Yulia" will probably go down as my favourite song of 2010. The beat is perfect, driving and a bringer of anticipation. The music is really subtle but is a perfect backdrop for the story that unfolds: a tale of separation, distance and eventual demise. Without a doubt the most heartbreaking thing I heard all year, with a great music video that really visualizes the lyrics in a way most videos could only hope to accomplish.
13) Alec Hugill - "Bonnie & Clyde" [3:13]From: "The Art Of Losing" Digital EP
Sounds Like: Alec Hugill is one half of "Falling Out Of Love At This Volume", an English duo who make stripped down, pretty songs that you can probably guess the subject matter of (also if you get the reference, you're probably going to get a better understanding of the influence behind their work). This EP is a bit of a collection of odds and ends but I ended up liking it even more than some of his previous work. Really lonesome, pretty lyrics (bordering on depressing... I know that sounds like a contradiction, deal with it) over a nicely picked guitar melody with earnest production values. HEY! Another singer-songwriter that I can handle, who also happens to be a friend of mine. I always look forward to hearing new material from him.
14) Boris - "Luna" [12:12]From: "Chapter Ahead Being Fake" Split 10" EP
Sounds Like: This song actually came out in 2009 in Japan but as is the case with a lot of Boris' material, didn't find its way to North America until a year later, as a part of a really great split 10" with like-minded rockers, Torche. As is the case with all Boris songs, it takes a unique spin on familiar songs and just adds more to Boris' mystique/reputation as the most unique, interesting bands in rock today. Shoegaze riffs with Black metal drumming, extended ambiant passages and a heavy as shit breakdown to close things off , albeit rather abruptly? You bet, another one of the reasons that Boris is the only band to be featured on every single mixtape I've put out of this nature (it also helps that they are constantly writing new music).
15) End Of A Year - "Phillip Jose Farmer" [3:56]From: "You Are Beneath Me" LP
Sounds Like: Is that Tetris being played in the background to start things off? Sure is, as another great melancholy End Of A Year track gets underway. Don't be mislead by my song selection when it comes to these guys goes for the past two years, they write really great early 80s DC hardcore inspired songs that drive and deliver but I also enjoy their 'softer' side (really not a great choice of words) but perhaps we'll go with their 'more emotional' side. Another prolific band that as long as they continue to write great material at the rate they do, will continue to be a part of these mixtapes.
16) Best Coast - "When I'm With You" [2:58]From: "Crazy For You" LP
Sounds Like: This one was a bit of a surprise as I really didn't expect to like lo-fi songs about missing boys, cats and smoking weed sung by a girl but damn it, they're great and I do. Another track that really showcases all the strenghs of the entire LP, "When I'm With You" which closes things out starts out slowly and shows the longing in Bethany Cosentino's voice but then kicks in with a great toe-tapping beat that persists until the song is done. Just a really fun song/record in general.
17) Converge - "On My Shield" [4:12]From: "On My Shield" 7" EP
Sounds Like: I really wasn't anticipating any new material from Converge after last year's great LP "Axe To Fall" and their tendency to take 3 years off between records but then this release snuck up and was a welcome surprise. Releasd initially as a European tour-only 7" (major thanks go to Alex for picking me up a copy when he saw them in Manchester), the song starts with heavy 80s metal riffing and then because it's Converge after all, it kicks up the bpm, and sounds like the end of the world. If I had to pick one band to see for the rest of my life, it would be Converge and it's consistently great songs like these that make that an easy pick for me.
18) Burning Love - "Don't Ever Change" [2:50] Released: Aug 3rd - Deranged
Sounds Like: The demo was great but I don't think I was adequately prepared for what would be unleased when Toronto's Burning Love (featuring the vocal stylings of the previously spoken of Cursed's Chris Colohan) came out with "Songs For Burning Lovers" this past summer. Taking some of the best elements of his former punk bands (the tempo, energy and vocals) and mixing them with blues-based, no nonsense rock n' roll has lead to one of my favourite LPs of the year. Gotta love the scathing lyricism too.TOTAL: [74:03]
1) The Arcade Fire - "Suburban War" [4:45]From: "The Suburbs" 2xLP
Released: Aug 3rd - Merge
Sounds Like: Probably the biggest thing going in indie music nowadays, the Arcade Fire returned to form with "The Suburbs", a sprawling, epic, concept record that deals with the kind of trials and tribulations any youth growing up in a suburban environment deals with. Falling under this category of someone who wanted out (and still sort of does), I found myself moved by the subject matter which is really encapsulated well within the track "Suburban War." Broken into two parts, a quaint guitar line as Win Butler recounts the goings on of his youth and the divide that formed when something seeminly as trivial as 'music' would 'divide [them] into tribes', which leads to the second half of the track... the suburban war itself. Thunderous, tribal-influenced drums drive the back half of the song and really ties things together in a haunting manner. God, I love this song.
2) Wavves - "Post Acid" [2:10]From: "King Of The Beach" LP
Released: Aug 3rd - Fat Possum
Sounds Like: Wavves makes its second consecutive appearance and just the same as last year, I'm not crazy about the artist behind the art but the end product more than makes up for my disdain and truely proves that you don't have to respect or emphathize with someone to appreciate their work. I originally included the track "Mickey Mouse" off this record because it reminded me of a really good, bouncy Animal Collective jam but after a brief deliberation, decided that "Post Acid" with it's fuzzed out, explosive riffs and great sing-a-longable chorus would be a better representation of this record.
3) Beck - "Ramona" [4:24] From: "Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World Original Soundtrack" LP
Released: Aug 10th - ABKCO Records
Sounds Like: I'm about as far as it gets from a Beck fan, never really having much of an appreciation for his singles,although I will admit admiration for his ability to trascend genres and remain relevant. With all that said, his 2002 record "Sea Change" is a beautiful work of art, focusing on a series of sombre, acoustic-driven songs that "Ramona" is reminiscient of. The entire soundtrack to the film is great, highlighted by the numerous Sex Bob-omb tracks (Scott Pilgrim's fictional band) as composed by Beck Hansen himself.
4) No Age - "Inflorescence" [2:51]From: "Glitter" 7" EP
Released: Aug 24th - Subpop
Sounds Like: This is the first instance of a band that I love, releasing a really great LP in 2010 but instead of picking one of the standout tracks from it to feature here, I found myself more enthralled by the B-Side from the lead off single of said album. "Everything In Between" was a stellar follow up to 2008's "Nouns", but when it came down to it, the song that I couldn't get enough from this LA-based two-piece art punk outfit was the simple beat and jangley guitar of "Inflorescence." This is great hook-y, punk that's been turned on its head and I'm glad these guys are getting the recognition they deserve.
5) Torche - "Cast Into Unknown" [2:12]From: "Songs For Singles" 12" EP
Released: Sept 14th - Hydrahead
Sounds Like: Torche really came through a good bunch of "singles", songs that didn't really fit into the context (or desired length) of an album and thus became a fun sub 20 minute jaunt of pop-metal that this Florida 3 piece has become known for. This was one of the harder picks for me to narrow down as the release is made up of 4 or 5 great, 2 minute hooky numbers as well 2 of their down-tuned, stoner tinged metal fixtures. Sometimes you can't get everything packaged as succinctly in one great song like 2008's "Fat Waves", so I went with "Cast Into Unknown" which is more akin to a great punk song as far as pacing goes.
6) The Walkmen - "Angela Surf City" [3:23]From: "Lisbon" LP
Released: Sept 14th - Fat Possum
Sounds Like: Somehow I missed out on "In the New Year", The Walkmen's GREAT single from 2008 until 2009 (how fitting considering the song title) but Lisbon is a great follow up to it and "Angela Surf City" is a really great mix of subdued, jangled verses with lamentful lyrics and surf-rock inspired choruses that really grab the bull by the horns and go with it. I can imagine some listeners not being enthralled by Hamilton Lethrauser's vocals but in a world where so many bands have singers that sound the same, I enjoy the bit of a change of pace that they offer.
7) Forgetters - "The Night Accelerates" [3:22]From: "Forgetters" 2x7" EP
Released: Sept 21st - Too Small To Fail
Sounds Like: It's Blake Schwartzenbach from Jawbreaker singing and playing guitar in a new band. I could literally stop writing there and you should all want to drop everything and listen but I have a feeling that isn't as big of a "selling line" for most as it is for me. Another late find this year, this double 7" release (a bit of a rare treat) was a welcome addition to this collection as a steady punk-tinged rock song is greeted by the warm, familiar voice that has gotten me through so many tough points in my (albeit short) life. Can't wait for an LP, hopefully next year.
8) Superchunk - "Crossed Wires" [3:48]From: "Majesty Shredding" LP
Released: Sept 21st - Merge
Sounds Like: Another band that I'm definitely late to the party on, I definitely feel like a fool for this being my introduction to Superchunk. However, having never really taken the time to familiarize myself with their work besides early singles like "Slack Motherfucker" or "Detroit Has a Skyline", I was pleasantly informed that this, their first album in a decade was a great representation of what has made this band an indie-mainstay for 2+ decades. The first time I heard this song was when I saw them live this past fall and I found myself singing along by the end, you should probably do the same.
9) Tim Kasher - "Don't Get Caught" [3:53]From: "Cold Love" 7" EP
Released: Sept 21st - Saddle Creek
Sounds Like: The second of two songs that fall into the "No Age" category, Tim Kasher released what I thought was a really great debut solo LP this year entitled "The Game Of Monogamy." Simultaneously catchy and heart breaking (especially for one going through a separation of his own at the time), it takes the great vivid lyricism that Kasher is known for, paired with music that wasn't too far off from his previous work in The Good Life (with a tinge of Cursive thrown in for good measure) and added a new dimension to it all. This song has a ton of time-signatures used and was a tad confusing to tap my feet along to when I saw it performed live but that just endeared it to me even more.
10) Deerhunter - "Desire Lines" [6:45] From: "Halycon Digest" LP
Released: Sept 28th - 4AD
Sounds Like: One thing Deerhunter has definitely never been accused of is lacking in the mood department when it comes to these long-running atmospheric jams. This song reminds me of "Nothing Ever Happened" a song off their great full length from two years ago that hits you with a quick verse-chorus-verse-chorus and then meanders (in a good way) for 2-3 minutes. "Desire Lines" has a more organic feel to it, not relying so heavily on effects but still presenting a product that dips in and out of a great outro that lasts seemingly forever (also in a good way).
11) Nomos - "A Witness" [1:35] From: "Notes From the Acheron" 12" EP
Released: Sept 28th - Deranged
Sounds Like: This is about as far from Deerhunter as you can get... fierce, deliberate and just a total banger from start to finish (which admittedly, isn't all that long). Nomos really exploded out of their Brooklyn based homestead with this, the lead off from a total banger of a 12" EP (6 songs in something like 8 minutes), which in some ways was the catalyst to me falling back in love with hardcore of this nature. Frenetic, hard hitting... another great Deranged release.
12) Belle & Sebastian "I Want The World To Stop" [4:32]From: "Belle & Sebastian Write About Love" LP
Released: Oct 12th - Matador
Sounds Like: I'll tell you what it doesn't sound like is early Belle & Sebastian which I've fallen in love with over the course of the last 12 months. My friend Tim once quipped that for an album titled "...Write About Love" it seems too upbeat and while I agree that I tend to be more of a fan of their earlier, downbeat numbers, Belle & Sebastian have created a really fun, he-said, she-said pop song with Stuart Murdoch's vocals really soaring here. Not crazy about the drum machine though...
13) Envy - "A Breath Clad In Happiness" [6:25] From: "Recitation" 2xLP
Released: Oct 12th - Temporary Residence
Sounds Like: No one that I've come across really matches post-rock with screamo quite like Envy do. Having been at it for as long as they have with 1/2 a dozen LPs to their name, I have to admire what they've done to reinvent themselves by seeminly not dwelling on the negative so much and using some major keys. Where their songs used to be comprised of solemn, low-key builds that would explode with rage, that expulsion of emotion by lead singer Tetsuya Fukagawa is now one of exhuberance and joy. Envy are the best example of not necessarily having to know what's being said because it's either distorted, screamed or in this case, a different language to really comprehend the emotion behind how it's being said.
14) Sufjan Stevens - "The Age Of Adz" [8:00] From: "The Age Of Adz" 2xLP
Released: Oct 12th - Asthmatic Kitty
Sounds Like: It had been far too long since we were graced with Sufjan's immense song-writing ability, 2005's "Illinois" being one of my favourite records of the past decade. Here he meshes his really low-key singer-songwriter nature with his flare for the dramatic nature of orchestral pop as well as electro blips and blops. It sounds like a bit of a mess but it works in a Sufjan-like manner. Another record that took a few listens for me to really get a good grasp on but probably the most inventive and interesting record of 2010 even if it wasn't necessarily my favourite.
From: "Sam Kinison Woman" 7" EP
Released: Oct 26th - Subpop
Sounds Like: Pissed Jeans could seriously do no wrong in my eyes. One of the best live acts in rock/punk, they manage to release tracks that are either weird and disengaging, slowly building to a climax (like the one I included last year) or ones that just kick your ass and make you want to bob your head along, such is the case with "Sam Kinison Woman." As usual, the bass line anchors things (and is damn catchy) while the guitar wails and howls with distorted precision, that I imagine probably wouldn't seem all that precise to some.
From: "A Horse Called Golgotha" 7" EP
Released: Nov 2nd - Relapse
Sounds Like: It's Baroness, probably the foremost producer of the new wave of sludge tinged, southern metal covering one of the greatest punk bands of all time, The Descendents. Seriously what's not to like? When I first picked up this 7", I was hoping for more of a Baroness-esque take on the classic number (my fav Descendents song ever for the record) but what I got was more of a straight ahead, faithful to the original rendition which honestly was just as welcome. So different from what I've come to expect from these guys but I'd love to see this other side of them expressed on future releases.
From: "Spiral Shadow" LP
Released: Nov 2nd - Seasons Of Mist
Sounds Like: Speaking of Southern Metal (or maybe not), Kylesa returned with a total sleeper of an LP this year. Having seen them live and never really been all that impressed with them, I was nearly knocked on my ass when I heard "Spiral Shadow" and it's amazing mix of prog, sludge and college rock. I don't know if I was caught off guard as much as I was as I took a cold November walk through New West and was greeted by "Don't Look Back", which feels like a long lost mid 90s alternative rock hit that somehow flew under your radar because you were too young and not exposed to it. This may be the best pure rock song written all year.
18) Jesu - "Aureated Skin" [6:46] From: "Heartache & Dethroned" 2x12" EP
Released: Nov 16th - Hydrahead
Sounds Like: Seemingly not as busy as he used to be, Jesu's Justin Broadrick only found himself releasing this double EP this year which I felt had a really interesting element to it. "Heartache" was a re-issue of his first work under the Jesu banner, which was paired with "Dethroned", a series of songs he began working on back then in 2004 but didn't finish until earlier this year. What this means is you get the best of both worlds, Jesu's earlier affinity for heavy groundwork mixed with his later tendency of haunting vocals and pretty textures. Jesu is the perfect music to put on the turntable and then just lay down and stair at the ceiling to, seeing where it inevitably takes you.
From: "TWWL" 7" EP
Released: Nov 26th - Photobooth
Sounds Like: Youthful, pissed off, suburban energy exploding out into the nation's capital (let me clarify, not *my* nation), Troops of Tomorrow have taken a somewhat dated sound within the realm of hardcore and filled it with fresh blood. From the opening british-inspired jangley series of chords to the ensuing 'blitz' that follows, concluding with one of the most 'real' lyrics of the year, bellowed at you by a seemingly never ending supply of pissed off young adults. It won't be long before the rest of the punk world will be listening to these guys (and girl).
20) Crisis Of Conformity - "Fistfight In A Parking Lot" [3:16] From: N/A
Released: N/A
Sounds Like: I threw this on as a bit of a bonus track as it's a skit from earlier this year on SNL. The premise is simple: a proud father at his daughter's wedding, kindly requests while making a speach to get his old band back together for another shot at rekindling their glory days. What follows unexpectedly is the reunion of an early 80s styled hardcore band who blast through a song that references a lot of great things/ideals from an infamous time in punk history. I don't know if this will come across as well as it did visually, nor do I know if it's as funny to people who don't get all the little references that are contained within but it's without a doubt my favourite thing SNL has done in a VERY long time.
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Great fucking post! I'm impressed with the attention to detail and care you put into this end of year wrap up.
ReplyDeleteAlso i agree that alot of good bands released mediocre records in 2010.